Wealth can be a burden. Just ask Roxy. Two weeks ago, I spent a dollar on a new squeaky ball for her. She loved it! In fact, she loved it so much, she couldn’t stop thinking about it.
We’d play fetch and it would roll under the bed. Roxy would do her best to lift the bed high enough to crawl under, and when that didn’t work she stood at attention and pointed out where the ball was hiding until one of us would get a yardstick and knock it out. She’d grab the ball the moment it shot out and prance around the room, thrilled that her precious was safe and sound.
It was also great for her favorite game, Hide the Toy in the Blanket. She’d sniff and feel around until she’d located the lump, then pump it with her paws to make it squeak until she’d worked it free.
In between playing sessions, the ball went in the bin with the other toys, but she couldn’t be sure it was safe there. She’d stand next to the basket, staring at it and trying to convince anyone who walked by to throw the ball. Sometimes I’d try throwing one of her other toys, but she was having none of that. Only the squeaky ball was good enough. She’d ask for a play session even before asking for breakfast, and if that’s not love, I don’t know what is.
Her love for the ball even led her to crime. If we set the ball on a table or shelf after a play session, Roxy would wait until we were out of the room and steal it. We would return to find it nestled under her chin, or in her mouth. She would try not to squeak it, so as not to draw attention, but eventually she would. We’d take it away and put it in the bin, where she would stand and gaze at it.
Finally, the pressure was too much. Roxy gave in to impulse and chewed a hole in the ball, permanently de-squeakafying it. She still carries it around, but now that's it's less valuable, she feels comfortable going outside and leaving the ball in the house. She doesn’t spend her entire day worrying.
I’m torn over whether to replace the ball or not. It’s a great feeling to provide so much joy, but with great wealth comes great responsibility, and I’m just not sure Roxy’s up to the burden. We’ll see.
Aww, she's adorable. Monty has a shiny he loves like a teddy bear. It's a toy mouse with a felt ball like body and "hair" made of shiny strands of confetti plastic. They're weird but he loves them.
ReplyDeleteWhenever we drag one from under furniture, he immediately perks up, runs over to grab it, and howls with it in his mouth. If you've never seen a cat howl with a toy in his mouth, it's cute and hysterical. Also, if he hasn't lost it under furniture, then shiny has to come to bed with us at night. Monty's had this particular shiny for many years now. I occasionally try to replace it for him but he loves it more than the new shinies. So of course, wretched (nearly bald) shiny lives among a plethora of young (shinier) shinies.
Oh, Monty sounds like so much fun. I would love to see him howling with the shiny mouse. I had cats growing up, but never one with that much personality.
ReplyDeleteShe sounds like my kinda gal!!
ReplyDeleteWe did give in and buy a new sqeaker ball, of course. Now none of her old toys hold any interest.
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